The New Jersey Devils have found a way to tame the great Henrik Lundqvist, and that has oddsmakers looking at them entirely different now.
The Devils came up big in Game 5, scoring five goals on the Vezina Trophy favorite, and now have a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals with just one more win standing between them and their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in almost a decade. Continue reading
The New York Rangers bounced back with a huge Game 3 win on Saturday, but head coach John Tortorella wasn’t in a celebrating mood afterwards. Complaining about the New Jersey Devils’ acting jobs on several penalty calls, Tortorella was calling foul after the game.
The moment Devil’s coach Peter DeBoer complained that New York’s Brandon Pruest launched himself at Anton Volchenkov, Tortorella was quick to return fire and point out New Jersey’s blame for the same kind of hits. Continue reading
Henrik Lundqvist is human after all.
After barely even reaching him in Game 1, the New Jersey Devils scored in each period en route to a 3-2 win in Game 2 and now look to take their first lead when the series returns to New Jersey on Saturday.
Bovada’s Rangers vs. Devils Betting Lines are giving New Jersey a 1 1/2-point edge in Game 3 with a -135 moneyline. Continue reading
If the Stanley Cup final goes according to plan, we’re in for a really nice match-up between to teams with completely different styles. The Los Angeles Kings are making light work of the Phoenix Coyotes in the west by pounding goaltender Mike Smith in each of the first two games.
In the east, the New York Rangers have locked down the New Jersey Devils with an air-tight defense that has made goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s job easy. Lundqvist, favored by Bovada’s NHL Awards Betting Lines to win the Vezina Trophy, only faced 21 shots in Game 1, turning away all of them. He got plenty of help from his defense which blocked another 26 of New Jersey’s shots on Monday. Continue reading
The Los Angeles Kings should not be underdogs in any game the rest of the playoffs. Home or away, the Kings are clearly drinking something good and have won nine of their first 10 games and took a big first step over the weekend, winning Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Coyotes.
And so, for Game Two the Kings, favored to win the entire thing in NHL Stanley Cup Betting Lines, actually have the advantage despite being on the road. Los Angeles is favored in Kings vs. Coyotes Game 2 Betting Lines by 1 1/2 goals with a -125 moneyline. Continue reading
It seems like every playoff storyline this year has to do with suspensions, but Philadelphia’s may be a little more costly than usual.
All-Star Claude Giroux won’t be available to suit up for the Flyers Tuesday night as the team hopes to avoid elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Giroux was suspended one game by the NHL for his illegal check to the head on New Jersey’s Dainius Zubrus in Game 4. Now the Flyers have to claw out of a 3-1 without their leading scorer in tow. Continue reading
The Washington Capitals only allowed 20 shots to get to young goaltender Braden Holtby. The rest were fended off by their defensemen, deflecting the other 26 shots the New York Rangers sent towards the net.
It’s a little easier to win that way. The Capitals frustrated the Rangers all night Saturday, evening the series at 2-apiece with a 3-2 win. The series shifts back to New York Monday where the Rangers are favored by 1 1/2 goals to rebound, according to Bovada with a -155 moneyline. Continue reading
The Nashville Predators handled this controversy thing about as well as head coach Barry Trotz could’ve wanted them to. With two of their top players suspended for violating team rules, the Predators strung together and came up with a huge win at home in Game 3 Wednesday night.
They look to even the series with the Phoenix Coyotes Friday night in Game 4. Continue reading
All that worry about Ilya Kovalchuck didn’t seem to stop the New Jersey Devils in Game 2. Missing one of their best offensive players, New Jersey still managed to swing back at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, evening the series with a 4-1 victory on the road.
That’s good news as the series shifts back to New Jersey as the team may still be without their star. Kovalchuck is still nursing a lower-body injury and may not be available for Game 3 Thursday night. Continue reading
Things went from ecstatic to miserable in about five days for the Nashville Predators. Just a week after beating the Detroit Red Wings in impressive fashion, the Predators are looking up from a 2-0 hole against the Phoenix Coyotes, and will have to climb out without the services of their two top forwards.
Andrei Kostitsyn and Alexander Radulov were apparently caught out at 4 a.m. after Game 2 of the Western Conference semis. Nashville general manager David Poile wasn’t happy and suspended the pair for violation of team rules. Continue reading